Living a healthy lifestyle has quickly gained popularity. People are realizing that everything they do to their body has immediate and long lasting consequences. This includes the type of medical care they receive. Alternative medical care is replacing traditional medical treatment(s) due to the fact that there are fewer side effects. The majority of the medical community is now agreeing that chiropractic care if one of the safest forms of medical treatment. It is a drug-free alternative to treating diseases, conditions, and injuries.
Although chiropractic care is one of the safest methods of medical care to date, every medical treatment has some form of side effect. Chiropractic care is no exception. Although there are very few side effects compared to traditional treatment methods, chiropractic care does have side effects that patients should be made aware of before they choose this type of treatment.
The most common side effects are muscle spasms, fatigue, headaches/migraines, and soreness at the site of the adjustment. These typically gos away in 24 to 48 hours for people who have had adjustments in the past. For those who have never had chiropractic adjustments and, depending on the person's sensitivity to pain, the soreness may last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. This is especially true for Fibromyalgia patients or anyone with a condition that makes them extremely sensitive to the touch. Patients with FMS (or anyone in general) can experience soreness and pain for about 2 to 4 weeks, and with severe FMS up to 6 weeks or longer. It also depends on whether or not they are experiencing a Fibro flare-up at the time of the adjustment. Then again, some people no matter what disorder/condition or injury they have, experience no pain or soreness at all and feel immediate relief.
Although quite rare, there are a few severe side effects that come with chiropractic adjustments. Blood clots/strokes, spinal cord injuries, and death are the most rare and are not scientifically proven. In the US and Canada, studies show that there is no concrete evidence that directly links these to chiropractic adjustments (or SM aka Spinal Manipulation), but it is still being constantly researched and there is still so much that can be learned about chiropractic care. Even though the side effects are either minimal or highly rare, people still need to know the possible risks. Without all the facts, patients can not make an informed and educated decision about which avenue of care they feel is best for them.
Some other rare side effects are: damage to the vertebrae and nerves, herniated disk(s), stroke-like symptoms due to nerve damage, and paralysis. Again, these are extremely rare if the adjustments are done by a licensed (in your own state), highly educated, and skilled chiropractor.
Other battles that chiropractic care has had to fight are the myths being told by the media. They have put the spotlight on chiropractic treatment and labeled it as a dangerous and extremely risky form of medical treatment, which is far from the truth. If this is not the case, then how does the public get this information? There are some physicians that write letters to medical journals which is published as their "opinion". The press gets a hold of these "opinions" and releases them, along with their own thoughts, to the masses. This is where the myths and rumors begin.
Is this to say that there are no risks involved in a spinal adjustment? Absolutely not! There are people out there who have suffered from some of the rare and more severe side effects; but, when you look into their current and past medical history, you will find that they had medical issues at the adjustments performed.
These health issues resulted in stroke(s), severe damage, and even death. When you compare the risks of chiropractic adjustments with traditional medical treatments, you will find that there are only a few side effects (most very rare and not supported with scientific evidence) compared to the hundreds of side effects from surgery and medications.
The best way to find out if chiropractic care is right for you and will not interfere with or cause further damage to your body is to talk with your primary physician. Ask questions and discuss any fear(s) you may have about this method of treatment. S/he will evaluate you and should be in constant contact with your physician. Working as a team will result in reaching your maximum mobility and optimal health goal(s).
The author agrees with fitness expert Dr. Joyce Verdel who has been quoted to say "Chiropractic helps athletes and people working out, engaging in a sport or even just performing daily functions such as walking and sitting, to operate at their peak levels of performance without pain. I highly recommend that you pay a visit to your local chiropractor." More video and article information can be found at http://chiropractor.inmoreheadcitylocalarea.com/
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